Currently, in the development of motor vehicles, the emphasis is increasingly placed on providing vehicles which are constructed in such a manner that occupants are injured as little as possible in the event of a crash.
To this end, there are provided in particular on the vehicle seats energy-absorbing devices which in the event of a collision give way to the collision impulse in a controlled manner and by absorbing energy.
WO 2013/090744 A1 discloses an energy-absorbing system for a vehicle seat. The system comprises a shearing element which couples a seat portion to a base structure of a vehicle. The shearing element is configured in such a manner that it withstands a first load without breaking. In the event of a second load which is greater than the first load, there is a non-resilient deformation of the shearing element. There is further connected to the seat portion and the base structure an energy absorber which is constructed in such a manner that it can absorb the energy which follows the deformation of the shearing element.
DE 10 2009 002 377 A1 proposes a side impact protection device for a vehicle which has a receiving device which is constructed to absorb a force applied laterally to the vehicle as a result of a side impact. Furthermore, a first coupling device is provided to afford a coupling possibility between the receiving device and a vehicle seat so that the vehicle seat can be displaced by the force from a normal position into the inner side of the vehicle. A second coupling device is provided to afford a coupling possibility between the receiving device and an absorber element when the vehicle seat is located in the normal position so that the force from the absorber element can be absorbed.
US 2016/0207427 A1 discloses an energy absorption device for a child's car seat which comprises a seat member and a base, wherein the seat member is arranged in a sliding manner on the base. On the base a limitation block is further arranged in front of the path along which the seat member slides relative to the base. Furthermore, in order to absorb and buffer impacts, there are arranged between the limitation block and the seat member absorption materials which become deformed when the seat member in the event of a collision or in the event of braking slides as a result of inertia relative to the base forward to the limitation block.
EP 2 662 238 A1 discloses a vehicle seat carrier for a vehicle seat having a position adjustment device which is constructed to displace the vehicle seat carrier between a large number of different positions and a position locking of the vehicle seat carrier at a selected position. Furthermore, the position locking is constructed so as to be deactivated in the event of a detected crash or so that it is deactivated in the event of a detected imminent crash so that the vehicle seat carrier is displaced at least partially by the position adjustment device in a defined manner along a first path in order in this manner to provide an occupant protection function.
DE 10 2012 218 722 A1 discloses a vehicle seat delay unit which has a deformation element which is secured to a vehicle seat of a vehicle. Furthermore, the vehicle seat delay unit has a deformation unit which is constructed for deformation of the deformation element and which is secured to a seat rail which is constructed to guide the vehicle seat, wherein the deformation unit is further constructed to deform the deformation element when the deformation element moves in a main extent direction of the seat rail.
JP 2015-214204 A discloses a passenger seat for an aircraft having a deformation element which is deformed in the event of a force which is directed forward. Furthermore, shock-absorbing structures are provided in the legs of the passenger seat.
All the above-described energy-absorbing devices for vehicle seats known from the prior art have the disadvantage that their structure is very complex and thus require modifications of the internal seat structure.